


Sister Song

by fearsomecritter



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Family, Happy, Post-Episode: s11e10 My Struggle IV, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 07:46:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14689632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fearsomecritter/pseuds/fearsomecritter
Summary: Alice goes on a camping trip with her parents, Mulder and Scully.





	Sister Song

_Drive on, drive on_

_My special one_

_Don't you stop 'til you know you're gone_

_Your sister and me have a set of keys_

_Don't you worry your head 'bout a thing_

 

They were up before dawn, before houses lit up, before each day began anew. The inside of the car, her mother's form beside her, protective and familiar. Alice curled up in her seat, tried to soak up as much warmth as she could. The courage to jump out, the overwhelming sensation of cold and darkness. She rubbed her eyes and stood still for a moment, trailed after her parents like an overgrown duckling, feet dragging.

Scully told her the name of each plant they passed, in a conversational tone, as if they were walking through a grocery store and listing out the names of cereal brands. She couldn't see their faces, just the glint of Mulder’s glasses, the vapor that left Scully’s mouth as it condensed in the cool morning air.

At the crest of the mountain, they were met by a blanket of fog. The horizon flattened out in front of her, strewn with dozens of other hikers, silhouettes blended together. In the dim light they looked like gigantic insects, backpacks for thoraxes. Afraid, she retreated towards Mulder, crouched down next to a patch of flowers, tucked herself behind her father’s legs, pulled on her mother's arm.

Alice sat with them like this for a couple minutes. Curiosity, boredom, the desire to explore. She stepped into the sunlight, clutched Scully’s hand, fingers wound tight. The other hikers ignored them. Suddenly, she felt brave enough to run past her mother, wander through the foliage, listen to the symphony of the wild things.

~

When they got home, she left the unpacking to her parents and scampered outside.


End file.
